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Saturday, December 31, 2011

Well, here we are again, on the brink of a brand new year! I'm so excited for what 2012 has to bring. Hopefully I can get back on track with a more regular blogging schedule--school has taken that away from me, but I know that I can do better! I can't believe in just a little less than 5 months, Apparel Addiction will be 3 years old! The blog has definitely changed (for the better) since then and I hope to continue to keep sharing my style in the year to come.

Thanks for reading, and have a very happy, safe and successful New Year!

Thursday, December 29, 2011

It's no secret that I love any opportunity to shop--especially when my wallet is full and the sales are on! The post-Christmas deals are always the best, and I usually have a gift card or two to use up, which is exactly what I did on Tuesday.

First on my list was Victoria's Secret PINK. They have the best selection of bras and undies, as well as some really cute lounge wear in neon shades. But the store was crowded and I couldn't find anything that really caught my eye.

Then we went to A&F and Abercrombie Kids. Both stores were offering 40% off everything, which is a great deal. I ended up buying a pink striped pullover sweater and ruffled light grey tank at A&F and a lacy navy tank with a pinstripe bow at Abercrombie. And all for under $100!

At American Eagle, I was honestly underwhelmed. I tried on a pair of light wash destroyed jeggings, but wasn't thrilled (especially since they were $45) but then gravitated towards the jewelry. I'm almost never disappointed in the selection. I got a gold and silver necklace and a gold jeweled 'X&O' ring, and only had to spend $3, since I had a gift card.

Hollister was the final stop on our list...but we definitely didn't expect to have to wait in line outside the store for our turn to go in! I guess they wanted to prevent the shopper overload that seemed to be present in every other store, which was a good thing. With another gift card, I scored a pair of tan cord jeggings (my second pair ever--I just bought my first denim jeggings from AE last week) and a royal blue/navy buffalo plaid shirt.

Despite the craziness of the crowds (remind me to never shop 2 days after Christmas), it was well worth it to score a lot of deals and spend just a little over $100 (not counting gift cards, of course)!

Thursday, December 22, 2011

A girl can't live without shoes, jewelry, scarves and perfume, right? Here's part 1 of this year's Christmas wishlist with all the accessories I'm loving. Hopefully it will inspire those of you procrastinators who have yet to finish shopping for the fashionista in your life!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Since earlier this fall, I have been lusting after ankle booties. Maybe it's because I hardly have any really cute shoes for fall and winter. Sure, I can wear my Bearpaw boots every once in awhile, but it would be nice to have a dressier option.

I had a lot of trouble deciding what exact pair I wanted to invest in. I didn't want it to break the bank, so I was steering towards a price range between $30-$60. I wanted it to have a low wedge heel, preferably around 2-3 inches, so I can (attempt) to wear it to my classes and on errands. And it must be in a neutral color, most likely brown, taupe or grey.

I also had problems figuring out which style would be most flattering. I am pretty petite, and I know that ankle booties can be hard to pull off for smaller women. Originally, I wanted a pair that I could wear bare-legged in early fall with dresses and miniskirts, but I'm thinking that I should stick with wearing them with skinny jeans and tights or leggings. I'm also considering wearing them with cuffed boyfriend jeans.

The one pair I found that I really loved were the ALDO Pirnie booties. They have a hidden wedge heel (wedge is always easier to walk in) and a chic corduroy construction with a leather wrap-around buckle in a contrasting shade. I fell in love with their quirky but cute look, but I wasn't quite willing to drop over $60 for them. I almost forgot about these booties. But then I was graciously gifted with an Amazon gift card...and the wheels started turning. I looked them up on Amazon's website and lo and behold, there they were, in grey (my preferred shade) and for only $27.99! What a steal, right? I wasted no time and snapped them right up.

I was pleasantly surprised when they arrived just a few days later and I was eager to try them on. When I finally got home for Christmas break, I got the opportunity to test them out--and I gotta say I love them even more in person! I ordered a size up from my usual 6 and they fit perfectly, with just a little slippage that can be fixed with some socks. The instep is ruched, which adds a cute touch, and I love the flared top part. They look a little weird, because the opening is too wide for my ankles, but I still like them a lot. I can't wait to wear them with grey tights and even possibly jeggings/skinny jeans. Overall, I think the booties were a very smart buy!

Can you believe it's only 25 days til Christmas?! I can't believe how fast this year's flown by. I am super excited for the holidays, though, and getting off from school for a whole month. College is great :) Except for the finals, of course. Since coming back from Thanksgiving break, I've been pretty busy with last-minute tests and projects. I can't wait to get a break from all this school stuff!

I scored this pullover sweater for only $20 the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. It wasn't even Black Friday yet, and the stores were already rolling out their deals. I'm not complaining though--it was nice to get some steals without having to deal with the crowds. I like this sweater because I have nothing like it in my closet--I usually stick with thinner stripes and all my sweaters are cardigans. But a change every once in awhile is nice, and I really like the look of this new sweater. The purchase was inspired by my sister, who bought a similar one from Abercrombie & Fitch recently.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Good news for all you Colorado-based frugal fashionistas out there--H&M is coming to the Denver Pavilions!

The wait will finally be over as of next Thursday, the grand opening of the state's first H&M store. It's moving into the former Niketown store. Devoted fans who show up early enough will be rewarded with a free t-shirt and gift cards ranging from $10-500 in value.

H&M is a retailer headquartered in Sweden that specializes in "fast fashion", or high-end trends for low prices. The store often features special designer lines at a fraction of the cost.

I know I'll be hitting up H&M as soon as possible--probably not on opening day, as school (unfortunately) has to come first--but Thanksgiving break a week or so later will be the perfect opportunity to get my shop on...without breaking the bank!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Why can't winter be colorful? Lately, a lot of retailers are offering shoppers an array of options when it comes to outerwear, especially when it comes to colors. Almost every color of the rainbow, in many shades and hues, can be found and easily worn. Wearing a bright orange or yellow jacket, for instance, might seem too scary and extreme, but both look great when paired with khaki pants or dark wash skinnies. Purple leather gloves can amp up a dreary cold day look. Scarves in royal blue and hot pink make adorable accessories that go with almost anything.

So this winter, don't let your accessories and outerwear be blah and colorless--stand out in a rainbow of shades!

﻿ Haven't you heard--nerds are in! Sometimes, you just gotta let your inner geek shine through. Today I did just that with this outfit. Okay, I think it's pretty cute and preppy, but it's kinda school-girl ish, which makes me feel like I'm a "nerdy" straight-A student. But who says straight-A can't be chic? I added in plenty of accessories, from my favorite headband to a wrist full of bangles, and the sparkly tights are always a good addition. The glasses add to the whole "school girl cool" look that I was going for with this outfit. It was so cold today (which I loved, btw) so I paired the tunic and shorts/tights with my brand new sweater I got on Sunday. It's simple but cute, and I've been needing something warm and in this shade for quite some time. It pairs nicely with the whole outfit and makes me feel okay with being a preppy "nerd"!

﻿ What's your favorite neutral? A lot of people will probably say black for its elegance or some kind of brown/tan for its ruggedness but for me, it's grey. Say what? I know grey seems boring, blah and downright depressing to a lot of people, but it's not like you have to go around in an all-grey ensemble. Neutrals are for mixing and matching, after all. So I decided to put my never-before-worn coral culottes (I ordered them probably a month ago but hadn't gotten the opportunity to wear them) to good use and pair them with a few grey items. The shorts themselves are very vibrant in color, and I thought they could easily be toned down with a nice neutral. I think grey goes very well with coral--it lessens the impact without making the shorts seem average. It allows them to stand out, in a tasteful way. I also mixed and matched the shades of grey I used. The lace tee is a very dark charcoal, the sweater is a medium heather grey and the tights are a light almost-blue grey. I also wore my Bearpaw boots, which are about the same shade as the sweater. I know it may seem weird to be wearing all these different hues and with a very bright color, but it works because the outfit is grounded in one neutral tone.

Fall is finally here, I can feel it in the air and see it in the 10-day weather forecast! Today was the first day in quite awhile that it was below 70 degrees and it felt perfect!

I was able to wear my brown tights for the first time since spring...and also my neglected Bearpaw boots. Once you start wearing those, you know it's fall. I kept my outfit mostly neutral (brown) but added in a pop of color with my slouchy sweatshirt and beloved owl pendant. I love spice shades in autumn, and pairing them with neutrals (especially shades of brown) always looks put together.

I love this time of year! The first day of fall was on Friday, but it hasn't quite started to feel chilly yet. There is definitely a different feeling in the air than summer, so mixing sweaters with shorts is the perfect compromise.

The color palette of my outfit is pretty simple and neutral: forest green, dark brown and tan. But forest green isn't your typical neutral--that's why this outfit isn't blah and basic. I've had this sweater since I was a freshman in high school (!) and I still love it. I haven't found anything quite like it since. Forest green is a somewhat unusual fall shade, but it works. I jazzed it up with some blingy accessories and kept the footwear simple by donning my beloved tan moccasins (unpictured).

Once the cold weather hits, I'll be pairing this sweater and cami combo with dark brown twill shorts and brown tights, or a camel corduroy mini skirt and brown tights with boots.